Tellurian



D. PHILLIPS TELLURIAN May 13, 1930.

Filed )July 1o, 1928 INVENTOR .DG/Vid Bhillifoa BY ATTORNEY NNN N nPatented May 13, 1930 UNITE STATES DAVID PHILLIPS, OF DAYTONA BEACH,FLORIDA TELLURIAN Application filed July 10, 1928.

This invention relates to that class of exhibitive or instructionalastronomical devices known as tellurians and has for its object theprovision in a tellurian having sun and earth 5 spheres mounted forbodily movement of the earth relative to the sun in a path denoting theecliptic, with means for eiiiecting rotation of the earth sphere aboutan axis parallel with the axis of the ecliptic during the l@ traverse ofthe ecliptic circle proportioned to denote the changing of the earthssurface relatively to the suns projected light for the diii'erentseasons, of means additionally for denoting automatically with thechange of a seasons during traverse of the ecliptic circle, the changingareas covered by the earths shadow, including the positions of the polesand arctic circles relatively to the sun sphere during the ecliptictraverse.

A further object of the invention is the provision with sun and earthspheres relatively movable in the ecliptic circle, of means providing aphysical embodiment of the n earths shadow relatively to the sun andrelatively to which shadow the earth rotates about an axis parallel tothe axis of the ecliptic circle and at right angles to the longitudinalmedian line or axis of the shadow, the earth being supported with itsvertical axis in line with said axis of rotation and with its polar axisor axis of diurnal revolution inclined at an angle of substantially231/2 degrees to the vertical. F The substantially right angularrelation of the axis of the shadow to the vertical axisof rotation ofthe earth sphere, with the polar axes or" the latter inclined to saidvertical axis at the proper angle, ensures the presentation ot theappropriate earth areas to be covered by the shadow, and with the polar,equatorial and other prominent earth divisions indicated on the surfaceof the earth sphere, the seasonal relation of the sun and earth areforcibly and clearly presented to the student.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a form of educationalastronomical device or tellurian of the type shown in my pendingapplication, Serial No. 231,111, and will be more clearly apparent fromthe following detailed specification which is to be Liu) Serial N0.291,656.

read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part thereofand in which Figure l is a view in side elevation of a tellurianembodying the improvements of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on an enlarged scale throughthe sun yand earth spheres, the conical earths shadow and the armssupporting the earth sphere and shadow and connecting and intergearingthe sun and earth spheres.

Figure 3 is a perspective detail of the conical shadow detached.

rlfhe device is supported Vfrom a suitable base 1 which may, as in myapplication aforesaid, be superposed upon azodiac table 2. A verticalaxis stud 3 is carried by and upstands from the base l, its front endbeing threaded into a socket formed on the interior of the iixed uppersemispherical half 4 of a sectional hollow sun sphere. The stud 3projects through a bore formed centrally in the lower semispherical half5 of the sun sphere which is supported to revolve about the stud 3 as anaxis by means of a collar 6 fixed to the stud below the sphere section5. An annular groove 7 encircles the exterior of the lower half 5 of thesun sphere and is designed to receive a belt or similar wrappingconnector by means of which the revoluble lower section of the sunsphere may be turned about the axis stud 3, which stud represents thevertical axis of the sun sphere and the axis of the ecliptic circle.

Upon the stud 3 wit-hin the interior of the hollow lower section 5 belowits line of junction with the upper section 4 of the sun sphere. a fixedgear 8 is mounted, In line with this gear, the side of the lower hollowi* section 5 is slotted at 9 (Figure 2) and the spaced inner ends of thespaced bars l0 and 11 are suitably secured in parallel to the oppositesides of the upper and lower slottedL por-tions 9. The bars l0 and 11extend radially outward from the lower sun section 5 in parallel, theupper bar i0 extending a substantial distance beyond the lower bai` l1.At a point adjacent to the outer end of the lower bar and intermediatethe ends of the upper bar, a table 12 is positioned to overlie thelatter and is provided with a vertical axis stud or shaft 13 extendingdownwardly through alined bores in the upper and lower bars 10 and 11.Between these two bars, a gear 14 is fixed to the stud 13, this gearcorresponding in size and construction to the gear 8 within the hollowsun sphere. A chain 15 or other suitable wrapping connector extends overthe gear 14 of the revoluble table axis stud 13 and wraps over the fixedgear 8 upon thefixed axis stud 3 depending from the upper xed sunsection 4. rIhe chain will extend and be housed between the upper andlower bars 10 and 11 and will extend through the tunnel formed by theslot 9 formed in the lower and revoluble sun section 5.

Swinging movement ofthe arm provided by the bars 10 and 11 with thelower sun section about the vertical axis stud 3 will cause the chainconnector 15 which is, of course, taut between the gears 8 and 14 towrap over one sideof the fixed gear 8 and unwrap from the other sideproducing a corresponding rotation of the gear 14. Since the gears 8 and14 are identical in size, a complete revolution of the lower sunsect-ion 5 with its radially extending bars 10 and 11 will produce acomplete revolution of the `gear 14 and of the vertical axis shaft 13 ofthe table 12.

This revolution of the table represents, and, as will be seen, causes acomplete revolution of a sphere representing the earth about a verticalaxis parallel with the sun axis and the axis of ecliptic path, thisrevolution corresponding to the revolution of the earth during itsannual traverse of the ecliptic.

Accordingly, an earth sphere 16 is iixedly supported over the table 12with its vertical axis alined with the vertical axis shaft 13 of thetable and with its pole axes inclined at the usual 231/2O angle to thevertical, the polar axes being in the line of a stud 17 fixed to andupstanding from the table 12 at the requisite angle and affording aconvenient means for supporting the earth sphere fromy the table withits pole axes as described and with its vertical axis alined with thetable axis 13.

In order to properly and visually indicate the shadow on the earth atthe side opposite to the sun, I have provided a hollow conical shadow 18supported with its longitudinal median line or axis extending in a lineat right angles to the axis 13 of the earth-supporting table 12 so thatthe rotation of the earth with the table about its Vertical axis willcause the true portions of the earth sphere to pass within and becovered by the cupped open end of the conical shadow in true proportionto and representation of the natural phenomenon.

The shadow is positioned in this proper relation by means of eye bolts19 having their eye portions embracing the cone of the shadow at pointsbetween its opposite ends and having their threaded shanlrs 20 extendingthrough elongated slots 21 and engaged by clamping nuts 22 above andbelow said slots. The adjustment thus provided permits the shadow coneto be adjusted to a posit-ion in which its axis or longitudinal medianline extends at the proper angle to the axis of the table shaft 13. rIhecupped open end of the shadow cone is positioned to embrace the half ofthe earth sphere at the side of its vertical axis diametrically oppositeto the axis of the sun sphere. T he lower edge of the shadow cone 18will therefore impinge upon the inclined pole pin 17 and to provideclearance for this pole pin and permit the latter to rotate with thetable 12 about the vertical axis of its shaft 13, the lower portion ofthe shadow of the shadow cone is formed with an arcuate notch 23 on aradius corresponding to the arc of movement of the abutting portion ofthe pole pin 17.

An indicator arm or pointer 24 extends radially from the lower sunsection 5 at a point diametrically opposite to the bars 10 and 11 andcoordinates with the zodiac table 2 to indicate the particularconstellation and the season of the year entered by the particularportion of the earths surface under observation and the relativepositions of other portions of the earths surface within and without itsshadow at the particular point in the traverse of the ecliptic indicatedby the pointl er 24. One half of the earth sphere is enveloped in shadowat all times. During one spring and summer, the North pole faces the sunall the time; on the rst day of summer,

the entire arctic circle faces the sun. Through one fall and winter, theNorth pole is in the earths shadow, the entire arctic circle being inthe shadow on the first day of winter. At both equinoxes, both poles areequally in the sun and in the shadow.

The described construction therefore will clearly demonstrate to thestudent the seasonal aspects of the different portions of the earthsphere during its traverse of the ecliptic circle. rlhe particularconstruction of the conical shadow 18 may vary within reasonably widelimits. Preferably, and as shown, it will consist of a. hollow cone ofaluminum.

The specific form of the invention described herein while representing apreferred embodiment thereof is intended as illustrative rather thanrestrictive of the invention and is subject to structural variation andada-ptation within the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim therefore and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, an earth-carrying arm mountedat its inner end to swing about a vertical axis representing the axis ofthe ecliptic circle, a support mounted on said arm intermediate of itsends for rotation about a vertical axis parallel with the ecliptic axis,a pole arm upstanding from said support at an angle to the vertical, anearth sphere mounted on said arm with its vertical axis in line with theaxis of rotation of said support and with its polar axis coincident withthat of said arm and inclined to the vertical axis, and a conical shadowfixedly mounted on said arm at the side of the earth opposite to theecliptic axis with its longitudinal axis extending in right angularrelation to the vertical earth axis and with the open end enclosing thathalf ot the earth sphere diametrically opposite to the ecliptic axis,the lower edge of said open end being notched to embrace said pole armand position the edge of the open end of said shadow in the verticalaxis of the earth sphere.

2. In a device of the character described, an earth-carrying arm mountedat its inner end to swing about a fixed vertical axis stud rep resentingthe axis of the ecliptic circle, an earth support having a vertical axisstud mounted on said arm intermediate of its ends in parallel with saidecliptic axis, having a pole pin upstanding therefrom at an angle to thevertical, an earth sphere positioned on said pin bodily to rotatetherewith with its vertical axis in line with the axis of rotation ofthe axis stud of the support and with its polar axis coincident withthat of said pin and inclined to the vertical, a gear mounted on saidfixed vertical axis stud, a similar gear mounted upon the rotatable axisstud of the earth support, a wrapping connector encircling said gears toeffect rotation of the earth support through swinging movement of theearth-carrying arm about the ecliptic axis stud, a conical shadowpositioned at the side of the earth sphere diametrically opposite to tothe ecliptic axis stud and having the lower edge of its open end notchedto embrace said pole pin and position the edge of the open end of theshadow in the vertical axis of the earth sphere to envelop that half ofthe earth sphere at the opposite side of said stud, and spaced supportsupstanding from said arm and vertically adjustable to support saidconical shadow with its longitudinal median line at right angles to thevertical axis of said earth support.

3. In a device of the character described,

' a hollow sectional spherical sun body having a xed semi-sphericalsection mounting a fixed axis stud and a complemental revolublesemi-spherical section enclosing and journaling on a portion of saidstud, a gear fixed to the stud within the revoluble semi-sphericalportion, a slot formed in the peripheral surface of said portion inalinement with said gear, spacedpbars rigidly secured to the oppositeside walls of said slot and extending radially outward from the sunsphere axis in parallel horizontal planes with the upper bar extendingbeyond the end of the lower bar, an earth-supporting table having anaxis stud journaling in alined bores in said bars at the end of thelower bar to rotate about an axis parallel with the sun axis, a gearmounted on said axis stud between said bars, a Wrapping connectorencircling said fixed sun stud gear and the gear on the rotatable axisstud of the earth supporting table, an earth supported on said tablewith its vertical axis alined with the axis of the table stud and withits polar axes inclined to the vertical, and a. hollow conical earthshadow supported from the extended end of the upper radial bar andpositioned with its open cupped end overlying that half of the earthsphere diametrically opposite the axis of the sun sphere, with thelongitudinal axis of the conical shadow extending at right angles to thelines of the axis stud of the earth supporting table.

Signed at Durham, in the county of Durham and State of North Carolina,this 7th day of July, A. D. 1928.

DAVID PHILLIPS fill

